KAL, Asiana share 206 new China routes

The Korean government said yesterday it has distributed 206 additional flight routes to China, based on a June partial open-sky pact between the two nations, evenly to the nation’s two flag carriers. The June agreement called for nearly doubling the number of passenger flights to 401 on 43 routes a week from 204 flights on 33 routes. Cargo flight routes also increased to 36 weekly from 24. The Ministry of Construction & Transportation raised the number of routes to China on which the nation’s largest airline, Korean Air Co., flies to 194 per week from 91 and those operated by the smaller of the two flag carriers, Asiana Airlines Inc., to 206 from 103. Korean Air will operate 18 times a week on the Seoul-Beijing route and 21 times on the Seoul-Shanghai route. Asiana Airlines will operate on the route linking Seoul and Beijing 24 times a week and that between Seoul and Shanghai 28 times.